CHapTterr 5,

RELUCTANTLY: unwillingly, opossing
SULLEN: showing irritation or ill humor
ELUDED: to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery
IMPLORINGLY: to beg urgently or piteously for aid or mercy
GALLANT: brave, spirited, noble-minded, or chivalrous man
INDIGNANT: angered at something unjust or wrong

CONTINUATION FROM ch4:

Just then the school bell rang, signaling that lunch was over and classes were about to take part. Sydney stepped out from the lunch room and reluctantly turned around glance at her beloved friends. They were all staring directly at her, their eyes maintaining contact with hers. Sydney could hear it in her head. All the things that they were possibly thinking, racing around her mind like rats. She eluded their thoughts by turning back around, facing the other way. She turned the corner of silver lockers and head for study hall, her next class. "What was she thinking? Blurting the news out like that, like she was some sort of gallant news reporter or something," Sydney thought as she took her seat at the back of the classroom. "Maybe this is all a dream. I'm not changing schools, I just misread my parents, thats all. I'm really just changing... bed rooms, or classes... or something, ha," crazy ideas filled Sydney's mind as she opened her wire-binded notebook. She squinted her eyes and crinkled her nose sullenly. She rested her dirty blond-haired head on the wooden desk. She imagined her last day at Hoover high. Her friends with frowns on their faces. Herself, holding back the tears as she walked out the school doors for the last time. Indignant, she dozed off to sleep. In her dream, Sydney found herself clinging to the school flag pole imploringly, begging her parents not to make her go. This was one nightmare of a dream alright. Yes, nightmare of a dream, thats for sure.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Q1: Why does Pony have a problem with Johnny's idea to disguise themselves?
A1: Ponyboy did not want to disguise themselves because that meant he would have to cut and dye his treasured hair. His hair was his pride, long and silky. Greaser's hair is what makes them look tuff. It labeled them and was their trademark. Losing something so important, something that made him him was very upsetting for Pony because he cared about his hair very much. He had it all his life. To cut and dye his hair was a very new and scary thing fro Pony, but he knew it had to be done.

Q2: What does Pony mean when he says "I was supposed to be the deep one"?
A2:
When Pony says that he was supposed to be the deep one, he means that he was the one of the gang who enjoyed movies and reading and poetry and Johnny surprised him by the way he reacted to the book "Gone with the Wind." Johnny didn't know anything about the book or anything about what it was about but he still enjoyed it very much so. Johnny had failed a year in school and never made good grades but he got more meaning out of things than Pony ever could. This made Pony wonder about Johnny and made him say "I thought I was the deep one."

Q3: Why does Johnny think he is a hero (on pg. 76)? Do you think Dally is a hero based on what he did?
A3:
Johnny thinks that Dally is a hero because he was getting punished by the police for something that he didn't even do. His friends did the crime, be he was willing to take the blame because he was a good friend, and was gallant and Johnny admired that. I also agree that Dally did a very considerate thing. I think that taking the blame for something is one of the most compassionate things you could do for someone. And the fact that Dally didn't without denying it and acted cool, was very heroic of him.

Q4: Why does Pony realize he doesn't like Dally? Can you explain what he means by this?
A4:
Pony realizes he doesn't like Dally because Dally was different from most people Pony admired. Pony's heros were Sodapop because he was understanding and dashful, he idolized Two-Bit due to his humor, and Pony looked up to Darry for his superhreo-like character. These were all qualities that Dally did not have. These qualities of the super heros that you read in books. But Dally was not like a made up character from a book, he was real. Andthats why Ponyboy didn't like him. Dally was real and that scared him.

Q5: Examine Robert Frost's poem, Nothing Gold can Stay. What do you think the poem is saying? How might this apply to the characters in the novel?
A5:
When I read the poem, Nothing Gold can stay" I felt happy and cheerful becuase this poem is so cute. I think it means that something can happen in your life thats "good a gold." You're really happy and life is looking good. But then the good thing goes away. Nothing good last forever. All good things, all "gold" things, have to come to an end. Robert Frost is using the leaves of nature as a metaphor for all the good things in life.

Q6: On page 78, Johnny compares Pony and his brothers to their parents. Which one of your parents are you most like? What similarities do you share?
A6:
I think that I am most like my father. People tell me all the time that I look alot like him and I share the same chractertstics and personality as he does. Were both very athletic and kind. We both worry alot, have a good scense of humor and have alot of friends. Also, my father was born wtih crocked pinkys on both his hands. When I was born i had the same thing, alot of my fingers are not straight. I think that being similar to my dad is a very good thing.

Q7: What does Pony mean when he says he drinks Pepsis like a friend (p.78)?
A7:
When Pony says that he drinks Pepsi like a friend he basically means that he can't live without drinking Pepsi. He sees his friends atleats once a day and they are a very important part of his life, same goes for Pepsi. There are things that you can't go without in your life, an adiction and thats what Pepsi is for Pony.

Q8: What is a "heater"? Why does Dally have one?
A8:
A "heater" is slang for a gun, pistol, revolver or other firearm. Dally has one because there is an all-out war between the Socs and the Greasers. It is crazy back at the town. Dally is going to use it to scare any Socs off, the gun isnt loaded. There is going to be a gang fight between the Socs and the Gresers. Dally needsthe heater to protect himself from geting hurt or killed.

Q9: Why are the Socs and the greasers going to fight in vancant lot?
A9:
The Socs and the Greasers are going to have a fight in the vancant lot because of what Jonny and Pony did. The Soc they killed had alot of friends adn there very upset and angry about what happened. The Socs have so much rage that they'll do anything to get back at the Greasers.

Q10: Who spys for the Greasers? Does this surprise you ? Why or why not?
A10:
Cherry Valance is spying on the Socs for the Greasers. She is a So and none of the Socs would suspect her to be on the enimies side. This doesn't surprise me because Cherry had a real connection with the Greasers. her and Ponty talked the whole night and really seemed to be friends. Also I think Cherry though that the whole thing was her fought. If she wuld have just stayed with Bob, her boyfriend, he wouldn't be drunk and upset and might not have jumped Pony and Johnny. Also Cherry says that she would "fall in love with Dally Winston." This would make me think that Cherry might have a small crush on him, and if he asked for her help, she would say yes in a heartbeat.